Knitting-machine.



P. P. LA MONTAGNE & P. SABLE,

lKNITTING MACHINE. APPLxcAnoN man SEPT. 16. '1914.

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P'. P. LAMONTAGNE g GABLL KNITTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED SEN-.16 |9l'4' @5282,88'0, Patemed om. 29, 1918.,

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PT P. LA MGNTAGNE L P. GABLE.

KNITTING MACHINE.

' APPL|CAT1ON FILED SEPT. 16. 17914. Lw. Patented 001.2951918.

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P. P. LA MONTAGNE &'P. GABLE.

KNITTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 16, 1914.

www Patented o... 29, 191s..

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funarnrisraans PATRICK P. LA MONTAGNE, OF

ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO iearnnniornaen@ CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OJ' ILLINOIS.

KNITTINGMACHINIJ.

Application 1ed September 16, 1914.

To all lwibo/7i t vmay concern Be it known that we, PATRICK P. LA MonY- TAIGNE, a citizen ot the United States, residing,- at Bourbonnais, county of Kankakee, State or' Illinois, and Perra GABLE, a citizen ot' the United States, residingat Kankakee, county of Kankakee, State of Illinois, have invented an Improvement in Knitting-litachines, ot' which the following` description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing' representing like parts.

This invention relates to improvements in knitting machines and more particularly to a knitting machine designed to knit automatically from beginning to end a complete ribbed leg stocking, and more particularly a stocking` in which the knitting begins at the toe end.

One feature ot' the invention consists in means for controlling` and operating the two sets orn needles to ribbed work so as to prevent the torina` point.

Another `feature of the in means for controlling needles to secure invention resides the operation of the a proper finish to the top also a section ot' work to be raveled out and lorm a line of demarcation.

Another feature ot the invention resides in an improved Aform ot' means for preventing` the rotation of the dial and at the same time enabling` the lvarn to pass in either direction about the dial shaft as required in reciprocating,- knitting,

Another teature ot the invention resides in the means tor controlling the placing ot the dial needles in and out oit knitting position and 'tor enabling' the dial needles to be retracted7 carrying the varn without knitting ott, and in general `tor controlling the operation. ot' the dial needles as set forth in the specification.

Another 'feature ot the invention resides inthe star wheel and cam means controlled by the pattern mechanism for controlling the operation otl the dial needles, and particularl)7 in means tor leaving' the star wheel in position or insuring its being brought into position so that it will be in proper time `when it is to respond to the action of the pattern .mechanism "lflies4 and man)v other features ot the in Specification of Letters Patent.

upon the cha-nge from plain Patented Oct 299 T3118., serial no. @$2,102.

vention will appear more fully from the accompanying description and drawings and will be pointed out in the claims.

The drawings show somuch ot' a knitting` machineas is necessaryv to an understanding of the present invention. Many of the parts ot the machine which are not involved in or concerned 'with this invention have been omitted and some ot' the parts indicated in a somewhat diagrammatic torni in order that the disclosure otl this invention may be clear and readilyv understood.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation ot' a knitting machine with many of the parts omitted and some `given a diagrammatic form;

F 2 is a't'ront elevation ot the head or upper portion oit the machine;

Fig. 3 is a detail in rear elevation showing the connection :tor operating dial shittinp; plate locking pins;

Fig'. lis a vertical transverse section of the upper portion of the machine taken chiefly, on' a plane passing; transversel)v through the cylinder axis;

Fie'. 5 a plan Vview of the head `for preventing' rotation ot the dial with the cover and ring;- thereof omitted. the periphery ot' the ring' beine' shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 6 is a. bottom plan view ot the sinker cam ring, and cam;

Fig. 'i' is an outer end elevation of the star wheel :tor controllingthe cam tor the dial needles;

Fig'. S is an end view look-ing' in the opposite direction from Fig. T of the cam connected with the said star wheel;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the said cam and its connected star wheel;

F 10 is a development ot the cam shown in Figs. 8 and 9;

Fig. 1l is a top plan view ot the bed plate ot the machine and the parts thereabove;

Fig. 12 is a top plan view with some ot the parts in section ot the superimposed dial cam-carrier, adjustable locking plate,.and shittingT plate;

Fig". 13 is a bottom plan View oi the dial cam carrier. and dial cani;

.F l-l is a bottom plan View of the shitti plate;

Fig. 1.5 is a, view in vertical transverse section taken on the axis of the star wheels, and hold-down; and

' tains provision liig. 16 is a view in ver ai transverse section ofthe parts ilnnied y concerned with the support andL operation" of the dial needles.

/Fig 17 is an enlarged detail and somewhat diagrammatic view showing a section of the knitted material produced al' the joint on the change from plain to ribbed work;

Fig. 13 is a top plan view somewhat diagrammatical with some of the parts in sectionand similar to Fig. 12, but with the parts in position for plain knitting;

Fig. 19 is a view similar to Fig. 18, but with the parts-in position for knitting as for ribbed work but without they needles knitting off; l

Fig. 2O is a view similar to Fig. 18 butwith the parts in position for knitting as for plain work but with the dial needles retracted .and holding the previously laid course.

The knitting machine illustrated in the dra-wings is particularly adapted for the knitting of ribbed legged stockings and contherein for the knitting of plain, circular and ribbed work but as the details of such machines are well known and familiar to those skilled in the art and are not involved in the present invention Vthey are not illustrated. i

The frame of the machine is shown as comprising the vertical standards 1, 2 and 3 and the top plate L1, the main shaft is indicated at 5 and power is transmitted thereto in the usual manner. v

The bed plate is ljn'ovided with a depending tubular bearing (3 in which is mounted the tubular needle cylinder carrier 7. The cylinder carrier i' is connected to a supporting rod 8 sliding at its lower end in a bearing 9 on the frame of the machine. A lever 10 fulcrumed at its rear end 11 on the frame of the machine passes beneath a projection 12 on the supporting rod 8 and is moved at the proper timeby peripheral cam surfaces on the cam member 13 carried by the pattern shaft 14 of the machine. j

The forward end of the lever 10 which bears upon the cam member 13 is provided with three spring fingers, 15, 16 and 17, the first of which in the construction illustrated acts during the knitting of the foot and ankle, the second 16 during the knitting of the ribbed leg, and the third 17 during the knitting of the heel and toe. These spring fingers are separately adjustable so that in coperation with their respective peripheral cam surfaces the required movement ofthe lever 10 and consequently of the cylinder carrier 7'may be secured. For this purpose the spring fingers are shown as secured to 'the lever 10 at their rear ends and bent downwardly away from the lever at their forward ends. -Adjusting screws 18 are provided in the lever 10 abutting against the Leeaeo top of the springs and locking screws 19 are mounted Vin the lever 10 and bear against the screws 18 so that the spring fingers may be accurately adjusted and locked in adjusted to the extent required to provide the proper length of stitch and vary the length of stitch during the various knitting operations. lThe cam member is also provided transversely of its periphery at the proper points with notches or depressions as indi cated at 2O and 21 which cause the lever 10 and through its connections the cylinder carrier to be lowered to such a point as will prevent the cylinder needles from knitting off at times, and for the purpose which will be hereinafter explained.

The cylinder carrier 7 is surrounded by and supports on a shoulder 22 thereof the needle cylinder E23 vert'icalljv grooved on its outer periphery in the usual manner to receive and guide the cylinder need-les 2li.

-The butts Q5 of the needles are guided between the bars 26 of a skeleton cylinder the top plate of which is shown at Q7 and the bottom plate at 23 secured by set screws :'29 to the bed plate l. The top plate 27 is held in place by hol(1 downs 30 enabling the bars 26 to he removed and replaced Vwhen required. An annular cam carrier 31 surrounds the skeleton cylinder and is mounted for rotation in the bed plate l and has its upwardly j n'oject-ing huh-like projection provided with the usual cam surface for cooperating with the needle butts to cause the niovel'nent of the needles. This cani can rier 31 is locked to and rotates with the gear ring 3Q mounted for rotation in the bed plate 4. This gear ring is held in place by keys 33 radially-inounted in the bed plate 4. fitting into grooves 341 in the periphery of the `@gear ring and locked b v setscrews 35.

The gear ring on its lower surface is provided with beveled teeth 36 vby means ofwhich it is driven from the beveled gear 37 carried on the main shaft 5 of the machine. Diametrically opposite posts 38 and are rigidly secured to and project upwardly from the gear ring. As shown these posts are provided with circumferentially extended bases through which screws `l0 and 41 pass intov the gear ring. The cam carrier 31 is locked to the gear ring and is rotarilv adjustable therewith by means of set screws 4t2 passing through flanges extending therefrom and abutting against opposite sides of the post 39.

Sinkers are provided, in the form ot' machine illustrated, which are withdrawn at the knitting point and thereafter move iuwardly to carry the loops over the hooks of the needles and are then withdrawn slightly in a manner familiar in knitting. These sinkers are shown at 413 sliding-ly mounted at Leases@ their forward ends in an annular sinker cylinder 44 secured by set screws 45 to the interior of the rear ends in an annular sinker guide 46 secured by set screws t7 to the exteriorl of the needle cylinder 23. A sinker cam ring 48 is removably mounted upon, and rotarily adjustable with respect to the posts 38 and 39 and the sinker guide 46. This sinker cam ring is shown with its cams separately in Fig. 6. It is providedfwith a depending annular flange 49 which rests upon the sinker guide 46. At one side it is provided with a pair of lugs 50, vstraddling the post 39, and through which set lscrews 5l pass and abut against the post and are held locked by nuts At the opposite side, the sinker cam ring has rigidly secured tothe exterior periphery of its depending flange a curved metal plate 53 from which projects a screw threaded pin 54. 1When the sinker cam ring is in place this pin tits in an open slot in the top of the post 38. A washer 55v and a pair of check nuts 56 enable the post to be clamped thus holding the sinker cam ring in place. This sinker cam ring serves as a supportfor all the mechanism located thereabove including the dial needles and theirI operating mechanism, and in the construction illustrated, this sinker cam ring with its supported parts may readily be removed by loosening the check nuts 56 and the set screws 5l by means of which it is held in place.

A canrgroove 57 in the lower face of the sinker cam ring operates the sinkers and,` at the knitting point, this cam groove is expanded into the depending flange 49 at 5S to allow the extreme retraction of the sinkers.

The sinker cam ring is provided with diametrically opposite extended flange portions 59 and 60 in which are mounted posts which support the mechanism above the cylinder including the dial, dial needles and the mechanism for .operating the dial needles; these posts are shown at 6l and 62 and have their lower ends reduced and riveted into the flanges 59 and 60. W'ashers 63 surround the reduced portion of the posts and rest upon the flanges 59 and 60.' An ordinary form of latch ring 64, is supported in proper juxtaposition to the needles by arms extending diametrically therefrom and provided with hubs 66 fitting over the posts 6l and 62. This latch ring 64 is also shown as provided with a thread guide 67 through which the -varn is fed to the'needles.

A yoke 68 presenting a central hub 69 and end hubs 70 is supported from the sinker cam ring with the hubs 70 fitting over the posts 6l and 62 and locked in place by set .screws 71 secured into the upper ends of the posts and pressing the hubs 70 and the subjaeent hubs 66 of the latch -ring against the washers 63. This yoke supports the entire needle cylinder QSand at their times of the relative alinement Vneedles to secure dial needle mechanism and the method of its mounting with respect to the cylinder needle mechanism is such as to secure one object of the invention, namely, the preservation at all and position of the two sets of needles. This is very important especially in connection with dial needles having a short throw, and obviatesl the objections heretofore encountered in knitting machines due to the two sets of needles getting out of alinement and rela tive position.

The yoke is provided with a thread guide 72 through which the yarn passes from above to the thread guide 67. ,The dial shaft 73 extends up centrally through the hub 69 and has mounted thereon at its lower end, as by the set screw 74, the usual dial 75. The dial needles are shown at 76 mounted in radial grooves in the upper surface of the dial. The dial needles are shownof the separate latch type illustrated and described in Patent No. l,096,945,-granted May 19, 1911i to Pope and Randall. A dial cam carrier 7 7 is rotarily mounted on the dial shaft 73 and is provided on its lower face with cam plates presenting therebetween the cam groove 7 8 which acts upon the butts 79 of the dial the proper movement thereof. At the knitting point a switch. plate S0 is provided and ispivotally mounted at 81 in the dial cam carrier. A pin S2 on. the switch plate extends upwardly through a slot 83 in the cam carrier and serves as a means by which the switch plate may be swung' about its pivot Sl to bring the dial needles into knitting position or allow them to be withdrawn therefrom. A rotarilv adjustable'locking plate Sl having an upwardly extended hub 85 is mounted on the dial shaft 73 and rests upon the dial cam carrier 77. This locking plate is provided with circumferential slots S6 fitting over set screws 87 in the dial cam carrier 77 and is locked in the required rotary adjustment by the set screw 88. The dial cam carrier with its cams and the adjustable locking plate thus rotate together on the dial shaft 7S when locked to the yoke 68 and serve to give the required reciprocating movement to the dial needles.

Tn` order to secure the movement ofthe dial needles into retracted position while holding the yarn and without knitting olf.` a movement which takes place, in accord? ance with this invention. at the time of the change from plain circular to ribbed knit ting or which takes place at the conclusion of the ribbed knitting, means are provided for controlling the movement of the dial L needles to secure this result. F or this purpose a shifting plate S9 is rotarily mounted on the hub 85 of the adjustable locking plate so that when this shifting plate is shifted rotarily of the locking plate it may control the position of the switch plate 30. .ln the construction illustrated the shifting "plate 39 is provided on its louer surface with a concentric depending flange 90 and a depending cam proj Vtion 91, the arc and shape of this depending flange and depending cam being substantially as shown in Fig. 14. This flange and cam act upon the pin S2 at the required times. When the pin 32 is in the position shown in Fig. 14 against the flange 90 the switch plate SO'will be held in its projected or outer position. The cam 91 at the proper time acts upon the pin 32 and shifts the switch plate 80 from its retracted position to its outer position. The

shifting plate 89 is proyided with a projecting slotted lug 92 which receives a lock Iing pin 93 carried by the rotating yoke 68 and by means of winch, as will be described, the rotary shift of the shifting plate with respect to the dial cam carrier is secured at the required times.- i

A bearing member 94 is interposed between the lower end of the yoke hub 69 and the dial shaft 7 3 and is keyed by depending flanges 95 to the hub 85 of the adjustable locking plate. Above this bearing member 94 on the dial shaft 73 is mounted a second bearing member 96 having a flange 97 telescoping within the depending flange 98 of a third bearing member 99. The bearing member 99 is keyed to the dial shaft 73 and a helical spring 100 is interposed between it and the flange 97 of the second bearing mem-v ber 96. A fourth bearing member 101 is located above the bearing member 99 and is keyed to the hub 69 of the yoke. Check nuts or washers 102 are threaded on to the projecting end of the bearing member 101 and rest upon the top edge of the hub 69 of the yoke. The bearing member 101 abuts against the bottom of the plate 103 which forms part of the head by which rotation of the dial shaft 73 is prevented and the details of which will be described later..

The checknuts 102 thus provide a means by which the dial shaft 73 and its supported partsmay be adjusted verticallyto vary vertically the position of the dial needles and the spring 100 serves to keep vall the parts surrounding the dial shaft 73 tight and thus to prevent rattling and lost motion. The spring 100 Aalso through the bearing members described presents a yielding brake on the dial cam carrier 77 and prevents it overrunning by momentum.

The head by means of which the dial shaft 73 is kept from rotating along with the yoke 68 in which it is mounted is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 and presents novel features. The casing ring 104 has projecting therefrom an arm 105 which extends radially outward and embraces and is adjustably conneeted to some fixed portion of the machine such as the usual bobbin supporting rod 106.

' movement with respect thereto.

Adjustment of the arm 105 and consequently of the casing ring 104 with respect to the `bobbin supporting rod is provided to enable the proper asseniibling of the parts,land is shown as comprising a pair of set screws 107 in the forked ends of the arm 105 abutting against the bobbin supporting rod. The plate 103 of the head is secured by pins 108 mounted therein and projecting downwardly and contacting with the slabbed olf or flat portion 109 of the hub 69 of the yoke so that the plate rotates in unison with the yoke 68. A cam 110 is secured to the top surface of the plate 103 by set screws 111. The plate 103 is recessed at its upper peripheral end to receive an inwardly projecting flange 112 on the casing ring 104, and the cam 110 rests upon the top of this flange. A hub 113 resting upon the plate 103 surrounds the shaft 73 and is keyed thereto at 114 so as to permit of longitudinal adjustment wit-h respect to the shaft, but be prevented from radial The casing ring 104 has rigidly secured thereto as by vthe set screws 115 a concentricilocking ring 116 diametrically slotted or notched at 117 and resting upon the. cam 110. A locking bolt 118 extends in each direction through a slot in the hub 113 and shaft 73 and is of such length that it is always in engagement with one of the slots or notches 117 in the locking ring 116 so as thus to prevent rotation of the shaft 7 3 with respect to the locking ring, and consequently, with respect to the frame work of the knitting machine. This locking bolt 118 is of such a length, however, that after one end has entered one of the slots or notches 117 the other end has withdrawn from the opposite slot or notch. The cam 110 is symmetrically constructed and its cam surface is in the same plane as the ends'of the locking bolt`118 so that as this cam rotates about the shaft 73 it moves the locking pin into and out of engagement with the slots or notches, and as the cam is symmetrical this takes place in whichever direction the yoke may be rotated. The

cam is provided with a yarn guide or carrier 119 shown as a tubular projection securedto and projecting vertically up from the cam. This yarn guide alines with an opening 120 in the plate 103 and also projects up through an opening in a cover plate 121 which rests upon the locking ring 116 and fills the space between the casing ring 104 and the .hub 1 13. The upper end ofthe shaft 73 is screw-threaded and provided with a pair of lock nuts 122, 123, the lower one of which 123'abuts against the top of the hub 113.

It will thus be seen that as the yarn guide 119 rotates carrying with it the yarn, the yarn will' pass freely around the dial shaft 73, the locking bolt 118 withdrawing suecessively by the action of the cam 110'from Lacasse one or the other of the slots or notches 117 as the yarn guide comes opposite them.

The mechanisnigfor tirowing into and out of operation and controlling the movement of. and supplying the yarn to, the dial needles involves novel features and will now be described. The machine as illustrated is designed for the knitting of a ribbed legged stocking in which the knitting begins at the toe end in which a continuous series of stock* ings are knit in a single webi and then separated by severing will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the speciiic mechanism herein illustrated and particularly described is simply typical and that by proper alteration of the cams, pins, patternmechanism, and other controlling parts the machine may be eonstruct-ed and ai anged to perform a variety of operations according to particular conditions arising.

One important feature of the invention resides in providing means for giving a peculiar operation to the needles upon the change from plain to ribbed .work and again upon the conclusion of ribbed work whereby novel and valuable results are secured. TVhen the knitting proceeds from the plain portion to the ribbed portion the juncture between the plain and ribbed portions is usually marked by a row of holes quite noticeable and caused b v the dial needles holding up the yarn which in the case of the plain work passes directly across between the loops termed on the cylinder needles, thus presentingr a line of juncture not only unsatisfactory in appearance but also presenting a weak line in the fabric along which in the case of hosiery a separa'- tion is not infrequently etlected in the use of the articles.

ln this invention the holes which other wise would occur at the juncture of the change from plain to ribbed work are filled and the liuc Yof juncture strengthened by mechanism which operates as follows (see Fig. 17)

After the Final course the succeeding course B work but without the To do this requires be prevented from is laid as for ribbed needles knitting oil. that the cylinder needles casting off the loops of the final course A of plain knitting. This is done by giving a relative movement of the cylinder carrier 7 with respect to the cylinder needles or, ti ated, by lowering the cylinder carrier 7 so that as the cylinder needles retract the yarn of the final course A of plain knitting will still remain thereon. The dial needles Will not ast off because the yarn of this nal course A was not placed upon the dial nee` dles, that course being plain Work alone. The second succeeding course C 1s then laid as for plain work, that is, in the, cylinder at indicated' points. It

vcourse C held only 'which at the conclusion line of Avent the raveling back of the A of plain knitting in the construction "illus-- cui).

needles alone This requires first succeeding shall either be thrownout of :"ction or retracted holding' the yarn of that course B, that the eylinderneedles shall be restored to knitting position as by raising the cylinder carrier T, that the yarn shall then be laid for the second succeeding course C only in the cylinder needles and that as this course C is laid the loops ofthe final course A and the firstv succeeding course B shall be cast ott' from the cylinder needles thus leaving the rst succeeding course Bheld only by the dial needles and the second succeeding by the cylinder needles. The dial needles are then thrown into action and succeeding courses D, E, F,.etc., knit as for ribbed workin the usual manner. l

This leaves a course B ofyarn extending across the holes which usually appear at the juncture of the plain and ribbed knitting thus filling the holes or reducing them to a size where they are not noticeable. At the same time the joint is strengthened.

This inventionv also provides means by of the ribbed work as at the top of the leg-portion of the stoelc ing* a welt is formed of any desired width; a course of lock stitches is formed to preyarn; and then a few courses of ribbed work are knit which when raveled out under the tension applied to the knit web present a clearly defined zoneor line of demarcation between the successive stockings so that the stocking may be. readily cut apart at this place.

lt is obvioust that the finishing of the stocking after the. 'conclusion of the ribbed knitting may be varied considerably along the lines ust set forth, but as a preferred arrangement for securing the desired results the mechanism is constructed and arranged to operate as follows: At the end of the ribbed work through the automatic controlling mechanism hereinafter niore fully described, the rotary shifting plate' S9 is shifted by the lockingpin 93 to bring the dial needles into a position so that they take the yarn at each course but cast off only at every other course thus making a sort of tucking stitch by which the desired welt is produced. This operation is continued until the welt is of the required width. The lockingfpin 93 then acts again to shift the rotary shifting plate to restore the dial needles to position for knitting ribbed Work and a narrow section-of ribbed Work is then knit. Then the cylinder is next lowered, in the construction illustrated, all of the springs l5, 16, 17 dropping into a recess in the cani and knit otll as for plain work.

13.` The cylinder remains in this lowered' position during one course of knitting and during this course the cylinder needles pull down the yarn for the dial needles and the that upon completion of the` course B the dial needles the stocking should be cut apart. At the.

conclusion of the knitting of this narrow strip of ribbed work the mechanism antomatically shifts into position for the knitting of plain circular work and the cycle of y operations forthe knitting of the 'complete stocking recommences.

In the construction illustrated a means whereby the cylinder carrier may be raised and lowered and consequently the knitting olf from the cylinder needles controlled has V already been described.

In the construction illustrated the throwing into or out of operation of the 'dial needles is effected by a locking pin 124, the movement of which is controlled through suitable pattern mechanism and the movement of the dial needles tolretract from knitting'v position holding the yarn without knitting off is effected by the locking pin 93 also controlled by suitable pattern mecha- .nis1n. The details of the mechanism illus- 'trated for effecting these results as a. preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described. The adjustable lock? ing plate V84, which has already been described, is adjustably connected to the dial therefrom.

cam carrier 77 and is provided on a concentric path with holes 125, 126, 127 and stop block 128. The locking pin 124 mounted to slide vertically in a bearing 129 inthe hub 69 of the yoke is moved at the proper times into one or the other of these holes or against the face of the stop block and in either position causes the dial cam carrier 77 to rotate with the yoke This locking pin 124 is directly operated by a bell crank lever 130 ful-v crumed at 131 on the hub 70 surrounding the post 61. This lever is forked at one end, the

lower member of the fork 132 entering a notch in the locking pin 124 and the upper"v member 133 being normally pressed downwardly by a spring 134 abutting at its upper end in al recess in the -hub 69. The depending arm of the bell crank lever 130 is in the path of a. striker 135 pivoted at 136 to the post .38. This striker 135 is operated .by a rotary face cam 137 shown in Figs. 8V and 9, and developed in Fig. 10. The lower end of the locking pin 124 is provided' with a latchtongue to prevent the locking pin from dropping back into one of the holes 125, 126 or 127 after it has once been withdrawn This latch tongue is shown at 13S as pivotally mounted at 139 in a slot in the pin 124 and a spring 140 is: provided which acts to swing the tongue forwardly. The adjustable locking plate 84 is provided in the rear of each of the holes 125, 126, 127 with recesses 141. When the locking pin 124 has been raised out of engagement with one of the holes .the latch tongue 13S flies forwardly and the locking pin cannot drop y back into the hole, As the locking pin `travels around it drops into one of the recesses 141. and finally brings up against the forward wall thus swinging the latch tongue into line' with the pin and enabling the pin then to be dropped into the hole.

The movements of the locking pinsl 93 and 124 to secure the 4required results de- .scribed at the proper time are efected as previously stated by suitable pattern mechanism, a preferred form of which is herein illustrated. Each locking pin is operated by a star or toothed ratchet'wheel provided with a face. cam and the movements of the star wheels are controlled by fixed adjustable pins carried on the top plate and by risers or4 movable pins brought into posi tion at the required times by connections op erated from pattern cams mounted on the pattern 0r cam shaft.

In the construction illustrated a separate star wheel and face cam is provided for operating each locking pin and one star wheel and face cam is mounted concentrieally with the other upon the same axis. For this purpose the post '38 has extending laterally therefrom and radially of the machine a hub 142 bored to receive the shank of a pin 143 which terminates in the holddown 30 already described. A bearing member 144 surrounds the pin 143 and is screwed into the hub 142 until a shoulder145 butts against the hub 142. The opposite end of the bearing member 144 is reduced and screw-threaded as shown at 146, vand a shouldered nut 147 is threaded onto this reduced portion.

A cap 148 .secured to the pin 143 has a sliding connection such as the dowel pin 149 with a check nut adjacent the shouldered nut 147 and by means of this cap the holddown may be retracted against the influence of the helical spring 150 which normall acts to project the holddown in the usua manner.

. The star Wheel .and face cam for operating the locking pin 124 are shown in detail in Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive. The star wheel 1'51 for operating the locking pin 124 isl vprovided with a hub 152 connected with the hub 153 of the face cam 137 so that the two will move in unison. These parts are mounted on the bearing member 1.44 and held up against the hub 142 by a helical spring154 abutting against the star wheel 151 and the shoulderof the nut 147. Thev connections by means of which face cam 137 when rotimes to swing the locking pin 93 each time in the same direction.- For this purpose the facecam 156 is divided into four substantially equal portions, two high and two'low, alternatinv with each other, and the star wheel 155 is provided with eight teeth, every other one of which is cutaway on the right side. The fixed adjustable pin 165 is so positioned as to strike only the teeth ofwfull Width and cleai` those teeth .which are cut away at the right while the movable pin or, riser 169 when brought into position must' strike either tooth whether full width or cut away. Thus the pin 165 serves to position tho star wheel so that when the riser or movable pin 169 is brought into position'and the next tooth strikes it the locking pin 93 will be operated.

` The fixed pins it will be noted, insure that the star wheels shall always be left in proper position or in proper time no matter what may `have happened to have disturbed the position of the star wheels. Sometimes in re-setting a machine the star wheels might be left out of position, sometimes by being j struck they might be left out of position,

and sometimes the movable pin might not drop back at the right time. -Any of these -occurrences and others might result in an improper `operation of the machine,` and it is to guard against this that the invention provides means ,for insuring the star wheels being left in proper position.

The operation of the construction illustrated will now be readily understood.

When the machine has finished knitting a stocking theipa'rts will be substantially in :the position illustrated in the drawings with the machine just having finished casting of tions to raise the locking pin 124 out of hole' 125 in the adjustable locking plate 84 thus.'

unlocking the dial cam carrier from the rotating yoke 68 and allowing it to remain stationary until the locking pin 124 sliding along drops into the next hole 126. While the l locking pin 124 is moving `from one hole to the other the switch cam 80 recedes,4

du@ to the pressure of the dial needles thereagainst and thefact that the pin 82 passes out of engagement with fiange 90 and the dial needles go out of action..l The machine is then with the locking pin 124 in hole 126 in position for plain knitting and plain knit-.

ting then proceeds throughout the foot portion.' During the formation of the toe and heel pockets plain knitting is being per-y formed, reciprocating andvnarrowing and` widening in a manner well understood, and with which this invention is not particularly concerned. yThe construction of thefcam. head at the top 0f the machine which has already been described is such, however, as to enable this character of reciprocating work to be done because the yarn passing through the yarn guide 119 and Athe hole 120 in the plate 103 may pass freely in either direction between the dial shaft 73 and the ring 104, a feature which is novel in this invention. At the conclusion'of .the plain knitting of the ankle and at the point where it is desired to begin ribbed knitting the mechanism of the machine 4is automatically controlled to change to ribbed work and to produce the desired construction of'web at the juncture between the plain and ribbed Werkes already explained. Riser 170 is again moved by the pattern mechanism into the path of the star wheel 151 striking tooth 185 which is cut away at the left. This brings tooth 186 whichv is a tooth of full width to the bottom so that it is struck by the fixed pin 166 giving the star wheel a further advance. When this tooth 186 is moved the corresponding high part of the face cam acts through the connections'describedto raise the locking pin 124 which thereupon is carried around and drops into hole 127 in the locking plate 89. vDuring `this movement the pin 82 rides up the depending cam projection 91 to the high part thereof and the dial needles are thus broughtinto position to take the yarn and knit hribbed work. Tooth 187 is now struck by the fixed pin 1'64 but as theface cam is flat atv this point the locking pin 124 is not l moved. At this` time through the operation of the cam 13 the needle cylinder is lowered to a -position so that while the cylinder needles take yarn they do not cast off the final course of plain knitting. No yarn was of course taken by the dial needles before theyl came into operation and hence as the dial needles to which yarn is now fed retract theyl will not cast off. Tooth 188 is now "cam so that when it comes into operation the locking pin v124 is only raised sufliciently to take it out of hole 127 in the locking plate 84, and it, therefore,.comes'around against block 128. The pin 82 on the switch cam then1 rides of the high part of the cam projection 491 allowing the switch cam torecede under pressure of the 'needles and thus the. dial needles to .recede holding the yarn.. At this time the cylinder lis raised by the cam 13 to knitting position-1 The succeeding. course of isch Lasaseo yarn is, therefore,llaid only inthe cylinder lcourse laid vheld only needles, and'as this course is laid the loops of the final course of plain knitting and the last course laid are together cast off from the cylinder needles, Ithis leaving the last by the dial needles, and the course being laid held only by the cylinder needles. Tooth 190 is now struck by fixed pin 166 and as thel corresponding part of the face cam is high locking pin 124: is raised above block 128. Tooth 191 is now struck by fixed pin 164, andas the corresponding part ofthe face cam is of medium orl half height, locking pin 124 is held on the face of the adjustable locking plate 84 and cannot drop into the holes, and is carried past holes 125 and 126. Tooth 191 is now struck by fixed pin 164: allowing the locking pin 124 to drop onto the plate and fall into the next hole 127. The pin 82 again' rides up the cam 91 bringing the switch plate and iconsequently the dialneedles into knitting position and ribbed knitting is resumed and continues through the leg portion. This operation produces the structure of Joint already described and secures the filling of the holes which would otherwise exist on the change from plain to ribbed work.

, When the ribbed leg has been completed the pattern mechanism again acts and produces the welt and the lock against raveling, and the section of ribbed work to be raveled, and shows a line of demarcation already described.

During the operation of the-machine the fixed pin 165 has struck a tooth of full width on the star wheel 155 bringingatoothof half width on the star wheel 155 to lowermost position. This is the sole function of fixed pin 165l and insures a tooth of half width being brought to lowermost position so that when the riser 169 is thrown into operative position the face camwill operate, through the connections already described, locking pin 93. `The pattern mechanism at the proper time then throws into position the riser 169. The star wheel 155 is shifted and the locking pin 93 moved -to shift the shifting plate 89. At the next revolution the fixed pin 165 moves the star wheel 155 anotherpoint, the

lis produced. When .the desired width of welt has been produced the pattern mechanism acts t0 throw the riser 169 out of operation and the rotary shifting plate is shifted by the locking pin into position to continue V- ing plate and slide into hole 125.

shifts the pin 82 onto the-iange 90 still hold- 'out the dial needles taking ribbed knit-ting. A narrow section of ribbed work is then knit. The cam 13 then acts to lower the cylinder by allowing all the springs 15, 16 and 17 to drop into a recess in the cam 13 for one course and during this course the cylinder needles pull down the yarn from the dial needles and the dial needles knit oil", but the cylinder needles do not knit off. There is thus formed a course of lock stitches which prevent the rareling back of the web. The cani 13 then acts to raise the cylinderto knitting position and ribbed work is then knit for several courses to present a narrow Zone or strip which as the knitting continues 'will be raveled out by the tension placed upon the web, and thus indicate where the stockings are to be cut away. '-At the conclusion of the knitting of this narrow strip of ribbed work the pattern mechanism again actsto throw riser 170 into operative position and tooth 192 of star wheel 151 is struck raising the locking pin 124i out of hole 127 over block 128 and allowing it to drop onto the adjustable lock- This ing the switch cam 80 outwardly, but not in knitting position, rib stitches are cast oi' the dial needles withyarn. The pull of the web on this last course causes the needle butts to run against the exterior of the cam groove during the shifting of the shifting plate 89 to shift the position of the vpin 82 from the high -part of the cam projection 91 to the iange 90, and thus during the shift the needles do not tend to press the cam 80 inwardly. The pattern mechanism then again throws the riser 170 into position and tooth 184 of star wheel 151 is struck causing the locking pin 124 to be lifted out of hole 125 and dropped into hole 126, and thus the cycle of operations is repeated.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A knitting machine comprising in combination a dial,.a set of dial needles, a cylinder, a set of cylinder needles, means for operating the said needles to produce either ribbed, plain circular, or reciprocating work as desired, a shaft extending above and supporting the dial, a ring member surrounding said shaft and connected with the fixed frame ofthe machine, locking mechanism held against rotary movement with respect to the dial shaft but movable into and out of engagement with said ring member at a plurality o-f points, and cam means rotary in eitherdirection to effect the engagement and disengagement at said points in sequence and thus allow thepassage of the yarn in either direction between the rin-g and the dial shaft.

so that the last course of '.l. .t knitting nnultine comprisi in. conibinatou a dial. a setV of dial neen es, a c vlinder. a set. of cylinder needles, means for fmerating the said needles to produce either ribbed, plain circular, or reciprocating work as desired, a'sbaft extending above and supporting the dial, a ring member surrounding said shaft; and connected with the fixed frame ot' the machine, a yarn guide revoluble in either direction about the shaft bctween the shaft and the ring member, and connecting means between the shaft and the ring member acting to prevent rotary movement of the shaft', with respect to the ring member and acting to allow passage of the yarn carried by said yarn guide in either direction between the shaft and the ring i member. f i

3. A knitting machine comprising in combination a dial, a set-of dial needles, a cylinder, a set of cylinder needles, means for operating the said needles to produce either ribbed, plain circular, or reciprocating work as desired, a shaft extending above and supporting the dial,'a ring member surrounding said shaft and connected with the fixed frame of the machine, a yarn guide revoluble in either direction aboutl the shaft between the shaft and the ring melnber, a locking bolt connected with and slidable radially of said shaft to maintain one end in engagement and allow the other end to pass out of engagement with said ring member to allow the passage of the yarn between the shaft and the niemberand a symmetrically shaped rotary cam acting when rotated in either direction to slide said bolt back and forth bringing the ends successively out of and into engagement with the ring member thus to allow the passage of the yarn carried by said yarn guide. in either direction between the shaft and ring member.

4. A knitting machine comprising in combination a dial, a set of dial needles, a cylinder, a set of cylinder needles, means for operating thc said needles to produce either ribbed, plain circular, or reciprocating work as desired, a shaft extending above and supporting the dial, a ring member surrounding said shaft and connected with the fixed frame of the machine, a locking bolt connected with and slidable radially of said shaft into and out of engagement with said ring member to allow the passage of the yarn between the shaft and the member, a symmetrically shaped rotary cam mounted to rotate between said shaft and ring member and having a yarn guiding aperture and acting when rotated in either direction to slide said bolt out of and into engagement with said ring member to allow the yarn passing through said aperture to pass in either direction between the shaft and ring member.

5. In a knitting machine the combination of a dial`v a shaft therefor, a set of dial needles. a dial eam'earrier rotatably mounted, on said shaft, cams on said carrier to actuate the dial needles, a switch device movably mounted on said carrier acting when moved outwardly to bring the needles into knitting position and when moved inwardly to allow the needles to withdraw from knitting position, a locking plate connected to and rotarily adjustable on said cam carrier, a rotary driving member on said shaft, a locking pin carried by said driving member adapted to engage the locking plate at different points and thus cause the rotation of the locking plate, pattern controlled means for causing the operation of the locking pin, a shifting plate rotarily mounted on said shaft and provided with means for controlling the switch device, a second locking pin carried by saidV driving member and engaging said shifting plate, and pattern controlled means for actuating said second locking pin to shift rotarily the position of the shifting plate and thus'vary the control of the switch device.

6. In a knitting machine the combination of a set of dial needles, a rotary operating cam therefor, a rotary driving member, a device for connecting said member to said cam in various relative angular positions, a switch device in said cam acting when moved outwardly to bring the needles into knitting position and when moved inwardly to allow the needles to withdraw from knitting position, a device rotary with said driving member for controllin said switch device, means for shifting tie angular relation of said rotary device and said driving member, and pattern controlled means for operating at predetermined times said connecting device and said shifting means whereby as determined by the pattern mechanism the needles may be placed and maintained in or out of knitting position and` caused to operate in or out of knitting position.

7. A knitting machine comprising in combination a set of dial needles, a set of cylinder needles, means for operating the said needles, means'for varying'the knitting posillt) tion of said needles, and pattern controlled means for controlling the means for operating said needles and the means for varying the knitting position of said needles to cause the cylinder needles to knit a plain web, then to bring the dial needles into action and to prevent. the cylinder needles from casting off for a predetermined period, then to throw the dial needles out of action and to throw the cylinder needles into action for a predetermined period during which the cylinder needles cast 0H, then to bring intov action the dial needles to knit rib work on both sets of needles.

8. A knitting machine comprising in combination a dial, a set of combination a set. of dial needles, a set of cylinder needles, means for preventing the cylinder needles from casting off for a prf determined time, means to cause the actuation of the dial needles in knitting position or out of knitting needles to retract carrying the yarn without knitting ott or to stop the actuation of the dial needles and pattern controlled means to effect as required the operation of the two means aforesaid.

1. A knitting machine comprising in dial needles, a cylinder and a set of cylinder needles, means for lowering and raising the cylinder to prevent the cylinder needles from casting od when in lowered position, means to cause the actuation of the dia'l needles in knitting po sition or out of knitting position, to cause the dial needles to retract carrying the yarn without knittingoif, or to stop the actuation of the dial needles, and pattern controlled means t o elfect as required the operation of the two means aforesaid.

10. A knitting machine comprising in combination a set of dial needles, a rotary cam for actuating said needles, a switch plate for controlling the knitting action of said needles, a rotary element, a connecting vdevice carried by said rotary element to connect and disconnect the rotary cam and the rotary element, a shifting device carried by said rotary element to effect the position of said switch plate, a star wheel and cam journaled on said rotary element to effect the operation of said connecting device, a second star wheel and cam journaled on said rotary element to effect the operation of said shifting device, a set of fixed pins and a riser pin for each star Wheel mounted in a non-rotatable part of the machine in the path of the star Wheel and pattern mechanism for operating said riser pins.

ll. In a knitting machine, dial needle controllingT means comprising a rotary element, :L shaft mounted radially of and on said element, a star wheel journaled on said' shaft and provided with a hub having a face cam, a second star wheel provided with a face cam and journaled on said hub, actuating levers operated by said face cams, and a set ofy ixed pins and a movable riser pin for each ,star wheel in the path thereof to effect the operation thereof.

]2. In a knitting machine, dial needle controlling means comprising a rotary element, a shaft mounted radially of and on said 'ele ment, a star wheel journaled on said Shaft and provided With a hub having a face cani, a second star Wheel provided with a face position, to cause the dial i 'and said rotatable member,

cam and journalcd onV said hub, actuating levers operated by said face cams, and a set of fixed pins and a movable riser pin for each star wheel in the path thereof to effect the operation thereof, the said star Wheels having one or more teeth as required of fractional width whereby such teeth may escape contact 'with one or more of said pins to effect the desired operation of the star wheel.

13. In a knitting vmachine the combination. of a dial for a set of dial needles, a

rdial shaft rigidly secured to said dial, a

head secured against vertical movement` of said shaft and provided with means to prevent rotation of said shaft, bearing members on said shaft interposed between said head and said dial, a spring interposed between two of said bearing members acting to sepa ratey them in the direction of the shaft whereby the parts surrounding the dial shaft are kept tight and rattling and lost motion is prevented,

la. In a knitting machine the combination of a dial for a set of dial needles, a dial shaft rigidly secured to said dial, a head secured against vertical movement of said shaft and provided with means to prevent rotation of said shaft, bearing members on said shaft interposed between said head and `'said dial, a spring interposed between two of said bearing members acting to separate them in the direction of the shaft whereby the parts surrounding the dial shaft are kept tight and rattling and lost motion is prevented, and means for vertically adjusting the dial shaft With respect to the machine f ame to vary vertically the position of the dial needles.

l5. In a knitting machine, the con'ibination of a dial for a set of dial needles, a dial shaft rigidly secured to said dial, a rotatable member mounted on said dial and acting to effect the operation of the needles, a head secured against verticali movement of said shaft and provided with means to prevent rotation of said shaft, bearing members on said shaft interposed between said head a spring interposed between two of said bearing mfanbers acting to separate them and produce a braking action on the said rotatable member whereby overrunning thereof is prevented.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

PATRICK I). LA MN'IAGNE. PETER GABLE,

Witnesses HENRY U. WANGERIN, W. A. SCHNEIDER.

ica 

